


Hidden On Your Sleeve

by SaraJaye



Series: The Tellius AU-Verse [8]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Bullying, Gen, Half-Human, Half-Siblings, Hidden Depths, Hurt/Comfort, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-19
Updated: 2013-10-19
Packaged: 2017-12-29 21:41:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1010441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soren had learned from an early age that bullies didn't deserve the attention they wanted. Pelleas, sadly, had yet to figure this out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hidden On Your Sleeve

Growing up Branded, Soren had learned a long time ago that bullies weren't worth anyone's tears or pain. Their remarks cut him deeply, so he learned to cut back. They pushed him, he mocked their lack of creativity that so obviously drove them to violence. When Ike became his best friend, the bullies backed off due to their fear of him (or his father, a former Black Ops agent). By the time he entered high school, only the truly bored or stupid would bother giving him a hard time and quickly be brushed off.

This, of course, had the unfortunate side effect of the bullies turning their aggression onto others. And lately, that "other" was Pelleas.

Pelleas's story was one of shyness, insecurity and the smothering influence of his mother; back then Almedha was overprotective to the point of instability, it was when she decided to bring Soren into the family that she finally sought therapy for all of them. Sadly, it hadn't done much for Pelleas. Too many years of smothering and shyness had rendered him a rather pathetic creature. The bullies wanted him to cry, he cried. They told him to jump and he asked how high. They spread rumors, he foolishly confronted them and told them to stop. He told someone, they found out and punished him for "squealing".

It was completely pathetic and Soren often wished he'd never found out he had a brother. Then he could just roll his eyes at the whole affair and turn his attention back to the only person he deemed worthy of it.

But every time, he would come to the little idiot's rescue. All it took was pointing out how empty their lives must be if their only thrills came from picking on a boy three years younger than them. The bullies would stomp off in embarrassment, and Pelleas would run weeping into Soren's arms thanking him over and over.

"Again, I remind you that I hardly care," Soren said one afternoon. Today's episode had been particularly nasty; not only the usual namecalling but his brother now sported a black eye and the front of his shirt was torn to shreds. "I shouldn't have to be rescuing you every time someone so much as looks at you wrong. If you could simply learn to control your foolish emotions this wouldn't keep happening to you."

Pelleas stopped, turned around and for some reason smiled.

"Everyone says you're a cold brick of sarcasm, and you act like you don't care about anyone except for Ike. But you know something? Sometimes a person's heart is still on their sleeve even if they hide it under their jacket. Even if you never call me brother or tell me you love me, I know you do."

He resumed walking, and Soren shook his head.

_Such nonsense. Nothing's more irritating than people who act like they know you better than you know yourself..._

Still, he thought, it was nice to see Pelleas smiling after what had happened.


End file.
